Nursing home employee charged with sexual abuse and endangering welfare of resident appears in court

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — Khadka Pradhan, a former custodian at Shore Winds Nursing Home, appeared in court.

Last week Pradhan was arrested for two allegations of criminality. The first count is sexual abuse in the first degree and the second count is endangering the welfare of an incompetent person, an elderly resident with dementia.

Appearing before the judge this morning, Pradhan was accompanied by his attorney and an interpreter.

“The reason we have the investigation is because of the quick-witted action and response of an employee and employees of the home,” said Bill Gargan, a prosecutor with the Monroe County District Attorney’s office.

According to a statement released by Shore Winds last week, Pradhan was immediately suspended without pay and barred from the facility, pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.

“We have no information linked to any other instances at this nursing home or anywhere else. We have an allegation confined to the incident that occurred this past Wednesday, Gargan said.

Pradhan was released from custody after posting a $10,000 cash bail. Therefore, no preliminary hearing was held. Instead, Pradhan’s attorney asked for a delay of the proceedings, and the attorney general’s office agreed.

“The next court date will be an opportunity for the defense counsel and me to have spoken more substantively about the case once they receive the discovery linked to the investigation,” Gargan said.

The attorney general’s office is now in the process of obtaining all the police paperwork, reports and video footage of body-worn cameras from responding officers, which will then be turned over to the defense counsel.

“It’s self-evidently a disturbing set of allegations, one in which we look forward to doing the best job we can to bring justice to this victim and to anybody similarly situated so that there’s a recognition that this behavior is criminal for a reason,” he added.

The judge ordered Pradhan to turn over any documentation within the next 24 hours that would permit him from fleeing the country. The defendant stated through his interpreter that he does not have a passport, just a green card. His next court date is expected to be on Oct. 25.